Dudley judge starts drug court

Dudley District Court, near Interstate 84 and the Connecticut border, is one of the busiest courts in the state. It gets all kinds of cases, especially drug-related crimes.

Presiding Judge Timothy M. Bibaud, who previously spent 28 years prosecuting drug, gang and gun cases in Worcester, will soon preside over the first drug court in Worcester County, which is scheduled to launch May 15.

Dudley will become the 20th drug court in the state, according to a Trial Court spokeswoman.

Defendants who are seen in the drug court will be young, ages 18 to 24, with significant substance abuse problems but limited criminal records.

Judge Bibaud said: "We're going to identify the defendants we feel could use the strict supervision. We look at it as high need. We've got to do something that we can see, in collaboration with the providers, with probation, with the different agencies out there, that we can come up with an individualized plan on each defendant so we can somehow get them going in the right direction.

"The whole idea behind drug court is that you see them more regularly, it's face to face with the judge. We're going to do it on Fridays. It's in the small courtroom, we'll sit at the table with the defendant on the other side. We'll meet for an hour beforehand to go through each case and assess the needs.

"Really, it's a hands-on approach so that we can really see if we can make a dent."

The Dudley court has been running its own pilot drug court for the last year to test it out.

Judge Bibaud has regularly supervised 13 defendants so far, bringing them in for drug screenings and close follow-up.

"Out of those 13, we've had significant success with nine of them, with nine-months-plus sober," he said. "And again, it's different methods for each person."

Opiate abuse is related to the bulk of drug-related crimes that come through.

"It always goes pill to heroin. No one goes straight to heroin," Judge Bibaud said. "What we see a lot right now is the Perc(ocet) 30s, the hydrocodones, the oxycodones. But when it becomes prohibitive, they go to the heroin because the price is pretty cheap on the streets."

Defendants referred to drug court are represented by a lawyer so their legal rights are fully protected. They meet with the Probation Department, and the district attorney's office is involved.

Judge Bibaud said: "We map out specifics of what we want to accomplish so that we can get this kid turned around. It's going to be fluid. Some people are going to need more.

"With drug court you see them more up front. If they're complying with conditions at twice a month, it might go down to once a month, because school and work components are really important relative to their recovery as well.

"We find that idle time has created a lot of the issues that these kids confront."

Drug abuse occurs in all economic classes and family backgrounds, Judge Bibaud said.

"I've seen single-parent kids, two-parent kids, kids from upper-middle-class families, college students, unemployed. It does not discriminate at all.

"That's probably one of the more alarming things that people rarely realize. That's why Worcester... with all the college kids, it's the college kids that are kind of driving it."

And the heavy drug use takes its toll on crime.

Judge Bibaud said: "You see a lot more larcenies. You see a lot more larcenies from family members, because these kids panic.

"I think we're starting to educate ourselves about it. I think there was such a disconnect for so many years, you know, what addiction really is. The more I get educated, I think the better it puts us in positions to help these people."

Judge Bibaud said that opiate abuse has been "exploding" in the past seven or eight years.

"I had two Section 35s today," he said, referring to court-ordered custody and treatment, which often takes place in prison because recovery beds aren't available.

"You can't turn your back on any of it. You've got to find something that works."

As a parent, Judge Bibaud empathizes with families that come in seeking the court's help in getting treatment for a son or daughter.

"It's so pervasive. You can see it when the parents walk in. It's 'deer in the headlights,' as I've described it," he said.

"I think there's a lot of luck involved, if you can steer clear of it. I think you see a lot of issues where there's self-blame on parenting skills … you know, 'Did I foul up as a parent?'

"We've seen it from such a wide array of families. Great families who have done everything right can wind up with some issues; and you can have a kid basically raising himself on the streets of Southbridge who's fine. Is there luck involved? Sure."

He continued: "I think that's probably the biggest eye-opener for me, that it runs the gamut. It runs the complete spectrum. And we've got to do a better job of continuing to educate.

"I think young kids, too, feel that they're bullet-proof. And the quality of these opiates that are on the street. You may feel that you're bullet-proof, but the addiction can trap you very quickly."

Judge Bibaud said that the current opiate crisis reminded him of when crack cocaine use peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"And it's even more alarming because of the number of overdose deaths that we're seeing. It's quite frightening," he said.

"Am I a social worker? No. When I went to law school this wasn't even talked about, even in my many years at the DA's office.

"But I think we have to adjust to the tenor of the times and what we're seeing on a daily basis. It's easy to give someone a $300 fine but that's not going to accomplish anything."

Contact Susan Spencer at susan.spencer@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanSpencerTG.

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